Fatwa ID: 02568

Answered by: Maulana Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia

Question

A local institute is offering tajweed classes for sisters. Due to issues with finding a female teacher who can commit to teaching on weekends, they have taken on a respected male as the teacher.

There will be 3+ ladies attending and it is an open classroom.

I have been told there are no issues with a male teaching female, but could you provide an opinion on this?

Answer

It is better and safer for women to learn Tajweed/ Qur'an or Islamic Studies from a woman. This can be done either by face to face or distance learning (internet or other platforms).

If a Sister Teacher is available within the town or city, but can’t make it on a specific day, the classes should be held when the female teacher is available.

Many scholars have written that impermissibility when there is a female teacher available in a town or city.

After trying to accommodate the female teacher, still nothing is possible, then the last resource will be to use a male teacher with some guidelines and conditions:

• This should be done behind a screen. The male teacher should listen to them behind the screen and also sit behind the screen.
• None of the Sisters should speak in a soft voice that can attract attention. Allah  says in the Qur’an:“…then be not soft in speech…” (Surah Ahzaab v.32)
• The male teacher should have a Mahram woman attending the class for protection of fitnah and temptation. [1]

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Maulana Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham